Interesting study on the futility of social media site participation in reducing political polarization

     A team of political scientists and sociologists from Duke, NYU, and Princeton collaborated on a 2017 study of the effects of exposure to social media sites on political polarization. What they wanted to better understand was whether participation in social media sites on which opposing viewpoints are shared/discussed might serve to expose the participants to alternative positions and, thus, decrease political polarization.  [The project is reminiscent of Gordon Allport's 1950s "Intergroup Contact" work which hypothesized that contact between minority and majority groups can promote tolerance and acceptance.  http://www.apa.org/monitor/nov01/contact.aspx   Alas, subsequent testing of Allport's theory by psychologists determined that it is isn't quite so easy.  In order for contact to break down prejudices, the two groups must approach one another from a position of equal status and with common goals.  In fact, some existing prejudicial attitudes actually were found to be reinforced by unstructured contact among groups that approached one another with a mindset of disdain and inequality]

     Looks like the same dynamic occurred in this social media study.  Essentially, the researchers found that democrats/liberals who participated in social media sites where different viewpoints were discussed actually tended to experience a slight hardening of their positions.  Even more concerning was the finding that republicans/conservatives came away with a pronounced hardening of their positions.  The reasons are discussed in the article but it appears that political polarization was actually increased by participation in such social media sites.  Perhaps it was a function of the pre-existing suspicions, a mindset of inequality, and a lack of consensus on a goal which the participants brought to the forum and were unwilling to reconsider...or perhaps it was how the discussions were framed.   According to the researchers, "attempts to introduce people to opposing political views on social media might not only be ineffective, but counter-productive....attempts to reduce political polarization on social media will require learning which types of messages, tactics, or issue positions are most likely to create backfire effects....".  

       I strongly assume this confirms what some MOL posters already believe and which we see in various threads. But, I found it interesting to see the research.  And, of course, if one sees no reason to seek reconciliation or reduce polarization, then this all matters not.  

    As always, the study has some flaws but for those so inclined, it can be read at: https://osf.io/preprints/socarxiv/4ygux/ 

I think that the only real way to change hearts and minds is to plaster stupid lawn signs all over your front lwn.

proven method.